The 76th Hunger Games
by Finnick'sShadowhuntress
Summary: Katniss and Peeta's daughter is now 14. A sock announcement will change the Mellark family forever. Please read and review. I really would appreciate reviews. Also, PM any ideas. My friend and I have created a new blog dedicated to the Hunger Games. Check it out at: Thank you.
1. Chapter 1

Walking in the door, I can already smell the sweet scent of my father's cinnamon buns. These are mine and Rye's favourite. My name is Willow Mellark, daughter of Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen. I am fourteen years old and have a 10 year old brother called Rye. Mom and I had spent the entire day in the woods, and had managed to bring back half a dozen rabbits (my father's rabbit pie is the best) and two squirrels. Not a bad haul really, considering we spent several hours sheltering from the rain. Mom had just begun to pull off her boots when Rye burst through the kitchen door, carefully balancing a plate of steaming buns on his hand. I try to grab one as he carries them into the sitting room but he's too quick and pulls them away.

"Dad told me to put them in here. We can eat them while we watch the special government broadcast." Rye mumbles. What special broadcast? They must have announced it whilst Mom and I were out.

"Ok darling. Just let me give these rabbits to your father." Mom replies, giving Rye a quick kiss on the top of his head. When Mom disappears to talk to Dad, Rye and I walk into the sitting room. "What do you think this is about?" I ask Rye as I throw myself onto one of our plush leather couches. "Who knows?" Rye replies, turning the television on. Just at that moment, Mom and Dad walk in. Mom takes a seat next to me whilst Dad sits with Rye. I pick up a cinnamon bun and take a huge bite. Rye definitely takes after Dad in the baking area. The warm buns heat my ice-cold hands.

We all turn our attention to the television. All of a sudden, Flavia Fence appears in her usual bright red striped suit. I'm too busy eating my bun to notice what she says. Then, a familiar-looking woman appears on the screen. I just can't work out who it is. I look over at Dad. He looks as though he has just been shot. So does Mom. Who is this person?

She begins to talk. "Citizens of Panem, this morning, our leader Paylor was the victim of a shooting, here in the Capitol. Doctors tried hard, but she couldn't be saved. From here on, I, Lilac Snow, will be in control of Panem. This great nation has spent too long as a republic after the rebellion. From this point forward, everyday life in the districts will be reduced to what it was before. Each district will have Peacekeepers sent in and will be expected to go back to their industry. Fences will be built between the districts and hospitals will be destroyed." Looking around the room, I can see the reactions on my parent's faces. Shock, mixed in with horror and disbelief. But Lilac isn't done...

"As a reminder to the districts about my power, the Hunger Games will be reintroduced. The first one will be held in two months. In order to start things off with a bang, the tributes for the 76th Hunger Games will be the children or family of the living victors. The new regime will be put in place from next week. Failure to do so will result in execution. This will be all."


	2. Chapter 2

As the screen fades to black, I notice that my hand is wound tightly around my mother's. She is clutching me for dear life. My father is doing the same to Rye. Mom pulls me into a tight hug and when we separate, things finally sink in. Rye and I are going into the Hunger Games.

I stare into my mother's eyes for what seems like forever. Finally, I break down and curl up in her lap and weep. No, not weep. Weep sounds quiet and soft. I am crying buckets. For some reason, Rye doesn't seem fazed by it. Maybe it hasn't sunk in yet. He and Dad go off to prepare supper.

Mom and I sit in silence whilst I stare at the family photo that sits on our coffee table. It was taken a couple of years ago in the meadow. Dad had set the camera on auto-capture after 10 seconds. It's an awful picture but Mom seems to like it. Rye and I are pulling faces at each other, with Mom desperately trying to make us stand still. You can see Dad trying to sort himself out. I can feel Mom's hand gently stoking the hair from my face as I relive the moment. I close my eyes and somehow manage to drift off...

As my eyes flutter open, my eyes fix on the photo and stare intently at it for a while. When Dad calls everyone for supper, I find myself unable to pull myself away from the photo. I find it hard to pull myself away from my family.

During supper, everything is eerily silent. Dad tries to make small talk; without success. Rye wolfs down his supper and nudges his chair towards Mom, who is pushing her food from one side of her plate to the other. She sets down her fork and wraps her arm around him. Rye snuggles into her shoulder and allows a tear to fall down his cheek. This, of course, just sets me off again. For a while, Mom and Dad just try to calm us down by rocking us and making soothing noises.

Eventually, Mom takes me by the hand and guides me up the stairs. I squeeze my eyes shut, willing this to be over when I open them. Nothing happens. Well, I do fall up the stairs. Mom takes me to the bathroom and gently mops my face and helps me into my pyjamas. She guides me into bed and pulls the duvet up to my neck. She kisses my head and starts to leave the room.

At the last second, I grab her hand. I can't let her go now. I need to make the most of the last few weeks that I'll have her with me.

"Please stay. Please. Don't go just yet." I mumble.

"It's alright sweetie, I'm not going anywhere." Mom says to me as she sits down on the wicker chair next to my bed. As I close my eyes, she begins to stroke the strands of hair from my forehead.

"You know, I still remember the day I found out I was pregnant with you. I couldn't quite believe it at first. I couldn't get my head around the fact that it could happen to someone like me. I wasn't sure I even wanted any kids. Your dad and I were happy on our own. But I knew how much your dad wanted children. Plus, there was always a little emptiness in my heart. So I went through with it. I had all the scans and saw you grow and heard your heart beat. The day that I felt you move was amazing. Then the big day came. The day when I could finally hold you in my arms. I woke up and the sun was streaming through the curtains. It was the perfect setting. The perfect setting for my little bundle of joy to enter the world. You completed us, Willow. After everything we'd been through, you came along and for a while, we could forget about it all. We had you now. Nothing else mattered. You grew up. Then Rye came along. We had our perfect family." Mom says to me.

"Now that's going to be taken from you as well." I mumble.

"No. It's not. Not if your dad and I have anything to do with it. We'll get you both out alive. Maybe even Uncle Haymitch will help. If he can stay sober for more than five minutes." Just thinking about Uncle Haymitch makes me chuckle.

" I'm sure that three people who've caused the Capitol so much trouble can get you out alive." Mom says to me, just before I fall into a nightmare-filled slumber.


	3. Chapter 3

Daylight steams through the small gap in my curtains as my eyes flutter open. It takes a while before I remember that in a few weeks, I'll probably be dead. So will twenty-two other children. All for Lilac Snow's enjoyment.

As I draw my curtains, I see Rye standing in the doorway. He looks tired. He probably had nightmares too. He rubs his eyes and steps further into my room.

"Can I come in?" He asks nervously. Normally I wouldn't let him get this far into my room, but, since we won't be on this Earth for much longer, I allow it.

"Sure." I reply. Rye walks the perimeter of my room, stopping occasionally to study the pictures of our family. The family that has been through so much and will now be destroyed. I walk over to him and stop a few inches behind him. I stroke his blond, fluffy hair. He reminds me so much of my dad.

After a few minutes, he turns around and pads over to the door. "You know, we will get you out. I promise." I say to him.

"Yeah, but then you'll be dead. You can't leave me Willow." Rye replies.

"Well, you'll have no choice. If you want to live, you'll have to let me die." I say.

"No, I'm not going to do that. You're my sister. I look up to you. I need you." Rye says with such force, he sounds just like Mom. I know that there's no point in arguing with him. He'll never let me go.

Rye is just beginning to walk out of the room when Mom appears in the doorway. "Hey kids. I've just been on the phone to Uncle Gale. He's catching the first train here to try and help us. Because he's worked in the Capitol for so long, he helped to develop some new laws and he thinks that there might be a way to stop this."

There's no chance of this. If this Lilac is anything like Coriolanus Snow, we have no chance of getting out alive. There's a good chance that we'll be targeted first, since we're the children of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. The last few hours that we are alive are sure to be hell.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi. Soooooo, Uncle Gale's appeared. Find out what happens and make sure to read the notes at the bottom as well...**

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8 hours later…

Willow's PoV

"Hey Willow, Uncle Gale just called. He wants me to meet him at the station. Dad's in the kitchen if you need him." Mom shouts up the stairs.

"Okay Mom!" I shout back. Rye was already in the kitchen helping Dad make Mom's favourite cheese buns. For some reason, Dad always makes more of an effort to impress Mom when Uncle Gale is here. I mean, I know what happened when they were young, but I thought that was all in the past now. Maybe Dad still sees Uncle Gale as competition.

As I walk down the stairs, I think about it in more detail. Does Mom still feel something for Uncle Gale? I don't ever remember meeting any of his girlfriends so I don't know if he has had any since Mom and Dad married.

I walk into the kitchen and see Rye sat at the big mahogany table, doing nothing. "Hey Rye. What's up?" I ask him.

"Not much. I'm just waiting for Dad to let me help." He replies. That's odd. Dad usually lets Rye do pretty much everything. Why wouldn't he now? Then everything just clicks in my brain. Dad wants to do them so he can impress Mom.

"Dad, why won't you let Rye help? Is this because Uncle Gale's coming?" Dad gives a slight nod. "They don't need to be perfect. Mom will still love you the same if your cheese buns aren't as good as usual. It doesn't matter what you do, Mom will never love you any less." I tell him.

"Yeah well it's not just about Mom is it? It's about him. As long as he's here, everything I do will need to be perfect. I know Gale's only trying to help you kids but the last thing I need is Gale around. Rye honey, could you just go watch TV for a minute while I talk to Willow please?" Dad snaps.

"But da-"Rye starts.

"No. Go watch TV Rye." Dad says with such a force, I have to check it's still him.

As Rye trails out of the door, Dad sits down next to me. "Okay. So, I don't know if you've realised but lately, your Mom's been a bit snappy with me. It got worse since the announcement. All she does when you're at school is curl up and cry. I know how she feels. That's all I want to do as well. But I have to stay strong for her."

We both spring up as we hear the door fly open and then slam shut. "Peeta, we're back." Mom shouts.

"Remember, everything should be perfect." Dad whispers as I open the kitchen door. As I walk in, I see the most shocking thing I have ever seen in my life. Uncle Gale has his lips against someone else's. It's not Mom, she's moved to stand next to Dad. As the woman turns, I see her face. It takes a moment to register in my brain. That woman is only Johanna Mason.

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**Hi... agian. Let me know I you like it in the reviews section. Also the next chapter will be from Katniss' point of view. Is that okay. It's alredy written, but I will only upload it if my facebook page gets 50 likes. Find it at:**

**pages/The-Face-Of-The-Rebellion/531241573589453**

**just in case the beginning is missing add the normal facebook adress at the beginning. It won't let me type it.**

**PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**


	5. Chapter 5

Katniss' PoV

Johanna Mason. Out of all of the people he could have chosen, he chose Johanna Mason. My Gale is dating Johanna Mason. No, wait; he's not MY Gale is he? I have Peeta. Peeta, the man who's given me so much happiness over the past fifteen years. Peeta, the father of my beautiful children. I watch how Gale has his arm around Johanna and walk closer to Peeta. "Rye. Uncle Gale's here!" I shout into the living room door.

As he appears in the hallway, I pull him into a hug. "You remember Johanna, don't you?" I ask him. Rye gives a small nod before snuggling closer into me. That's the one thing that he doesn't get from Peeta or myself. His shyness. It must come from Prim. She was always shy. Unlike myself, obviously. I need to distract myself before I start crying.

"Come through then. I'll take your bags upstairs." Peeta tells Gale.

"I'll help you." Johanna tells him. As the two go upstairs, Gale and I enter the living room. "So, you and Johanna then? When did this happen?" I ask him.

"Around Christmas, just after I moved to District 7. That reminds me, we're thinking of moving back to 12. Johanna's not particularly keen on the idea, but I thought it would mean I get to see you and the kids more often." Gale replies.

"Oh" Is all I manage to say before Peeta and Johanna come back. "I'm going to make a start on dinner." Peeta says. I walk past Johanna and Gale, who already have their lips pressed against each other's, and cross to Peeta. "Okay honey. I'll help." I tell him, before wrapping my arms tightly around his neck and leaning up to kiss him.

Once we're in the kitchen, I let go of his hand that I clasped before we left the living room. "I'm thinking of making squirrel stew, if that's okay with you?" Peeta asks me. I hear footsteps in the hall. "Of course honey. I already know it's going to be delicious." I tell him as I see Gale appear in the doorway.

"If it's okay with you, I'm going to take the kids into town to buy sweets from the sweet shop. You know, because I haven't seen them in ages and the prices will go up soon when Snow gets round all the districts with the Peacekeepers." Gale says.

"Of course you can." Peeta tells him. Peeta and I continue to prepare dinner in silence until we hear the door slam.

"What was that about?" Peeta asks as he slams down the carrot that he's peeling. "What?" I reply. My thoughts lie elsewhere because I'm too busy contemplating Gale's new relationship.

"You know what I mean, Katniss. Gale and Johanna kissing and then you acting romantic. I mean, when was the last time you kissed me? It's just like before. When you only did it for the cameras. Like it was all a big act. Is that all it is now?" Peeta's almost shouting by the end of it.

"Of course it isn't like before. I love you Peeta! You're my husband! You're the father of our children! I need you Peeta. But if you haven't noticed, things haven't been exactly normal lately. The fall of the democracy that we fought so hard to create. The fact that our children are being sent to die!" I'm crying now, so hard I run out of the room and up the stairs. But I'm not quick enough and Peeta's right behind me just as I reach the bedroom door. We look into each other's eyes for what seems like forever. My brain can only form one thought this whole time; _I need this man._ He grabs my waist and pulls me close to him. My hands reach for his shoulders and I fall into his chest.

"What are we going to do Peeta?" I ask him.

"I don't know honey. But we'll all get through it. As a family, together." He replies with his chin on my head. Our lips touch just as the phone begins to ring.

We both reluctantly head down stairs to answer the phone. "Hello." I say as Peeta pokes my waist, trying to make me laugh. I smile at him as the caller talks. It's Gale. "Hey, Katniss. You need to get to the shop now."

"Why?" I ask, still smiling and flick Peeta's hand away.

Peeta must sense my face drop as his expression turns hard. "What's happened Katniss?"

I just manage to mumble an answer to him before shooting out of the door. Peeta follows me as I run down the road. Only one thought runs through my brain as I pound down the street; _my little boy's been shot._


End file.
